MoveOn Puts Blue Dogs On Notice: Block Health Care Reform, And We’ll Unleash Ads On You
MoveOn has produced a hard-hitting ad that will be unleashed in the districts of any Blue Dog Dems who vote against the House Dems’ health care bill in committee today — a warning shot that’s intended to preview the broader ad campaign that will target Blue Dogs who continue to block reform throughout August, I’m told.
The ad is pretty tough stuff, and the script, which I’ve obtained, offers a glimpse of the type of spots that will strafe Blue Dogs and “centrist” Senate Dems from the left throughout the health care wars of summer.
This first ad will target any Blue Dogs who vote against the bill during today’s House Energy and Commerce vote, but it’s mainly intended to signal that the well-funded liberal groups are preparing to play very rough with Dems — directly naming them and accusing them of letting down their constituents.
The ad opens by naming a particular constituent in the target’s state who has lost his or her medical coverage. It names the individual member of Congress, and accuses him or her of siding “with the special interests and insurance companies” rather than helping “families get more affordable, quality health care choices.”
The spot then instructs listeners to call their member of Congress and ask them why they oppose real reform. “Families can’t afford to wait for real health care reform any longer,” it concludes.
The ad’s emphasis is another sign that the White House and its well-funded outside allies are doubling down on a stark, tightened-up message that will directly target the insurance companies, and will hammer Blue Dog and “centrist” Dems for placing the interests of the insurance industry over those of ordinary Americans.
Read the full script here, and get ready to hear lots more like it.
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Good. I was saying the other day they need to frame this as Americans vs. the insurance companies. And to be honest, this is exactly the battle that is taking place right now. Insurance companies donating to congressmen and providing them talking points to water down and even crush reform vs. Americans not being milked for every dime they can barely afford to spend.
I thought progressives were not allowed to strive towards anything lest they be labeled radicals who want to crush dissent.
Actually I personally don’t see the script as being tough enough. I would expect something a little more hard hitting from MoveOn. Hell lets call a spade a spade instead of nibbling around the edges. They should put up ads starting off the same way but then instead of speaking in general terms about special interests, say that while people keep hearing about all this money the insurance industry is spending everyday to defeat health care reform, what they don’t hear about how much of that money is going into the hands of X congressman. And then I would put the number up and ask people to call their congressman and ask how much money they are recieving from the health care industry.
Mike, I was trying to remember who had suggested that in comments. Thanks for the reminder….
SG — check out the earlier ad I posted this AM. Does exactly that…
http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/health-care/pro-reform-message-for-august-ad-wars-hammer-insurance-companies/
Greg
Yeah but those ads target Republicans. I want the same ad targeting the Blue Dogs, Baucus, Conrad, Nelson, and LIEberman.
mike – Yes, both the president and the progressives should paint this as a David-Goliath war and not as a fight between them and repubs. Just cite the instances of insurance horror stories and thuggery and put some sense into those dumb and prejudiced americans, who do not know who the real villain is.
SG — good point.
Does anyone else see a parallel between GWB rushing us into a costly war with no real plan for its future implications and the current administration trying to rush through HC reform in the face of CBO cost figures. We can only hope the public comes to their senses before the action occurs this time.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/30/AR2009073002819.html?sub=AR
wtf is wrong with you actuator? comparing the cost for providing health care to every American to the cost of a made-up war in Iraq? What a horrible simile! No one is rushing into health care reform, this has been a long-running conversation since the New Deal at least.
The only good thing that ever came out of Dick Cheney’s mouth is the phrase “Deficits don’t matter”, because they don’t anymore. The only way for us ever to get out of the deficit ditch we are in is to raise the standard of living for every American at once, get as many people working as possible, and tax the **** out of the better-off ones. I really don’t get this whole chicken-little, the sky is falling deal about the deficit and yet the same folks want to cut taxes! TAX CUTS DO NOT RAISE GOVERNMENT REVENUES! More spending than incoming revenues=deficit. Tax cuts never work to raise revenues and they never will, and no one is seriously talking about cutting spending where most of the spending by government actually happens (Defense, Social Security/Medicaid/Medicare) because they don’t want to loose elections.
You hope the public comes their senses and what? Block this reform so that they can keep paying higher and higher insurance premiums and more and more people loose their insurance and have to go to the ER that they can’t afford which is passed on to everyone else in the form of higher insurance premiums? Or that people come to their senses and realize that they haven’t gotten a real raise in wages the past many years because their companies are paying exorbitant premiums for the health insurance that they provide their employees and can’t afford to pay them anymore?
I too hope people come their senses and realize that this reform has to happen or it will bankrupt us as individuals and a nation.
MoveOn attacking the blue-dogs? Actually might help them out – when whack-jobs attack, it often has the opposite effect.
For THIS, I’ll contribute to MoveOn
Well, Baucus has buckled as of this afternoon. Keep up the good work MoveOn I love you you are exactly what we needed right now.
You can also contact the Blue Dogs directly at BlueDog@mail.house.org. We really need to keep the pressure on this summer so when everyone gets back from Aug. recess they know where the citizens stand and what we expect. If Senate Finance Committee gets their way we’re all scr##ed. Donate, email, call, fax, march or whatever to make your demands known. It’s the only way reform will get through Congress. The Pres. can only do so much arm-twisting and explaining, it’s our health care and we need to make it work for us and the rest who don’t have any. We can’t let the Health Insurance Industry beat us again.
Insurance companies are the villains but it’s Congress and other elected officials that should lead and make the crucial decisions to enact laws that insurance companies should play with, so that all Americans have health coverage.
I signed up for automatic debits with Organizing for America until HCR is done. Keep the heat coming!
Finally!
Invertebrate liberals start fighting fire with fire, playing hardball with the big boys. It’s about time.
I agree with Sharon. Time to contribute to MoveOn.
Here comes the $!
I will not send any more contributions to the DNC at this point. My money will go to MoveOn, These BlueCross Dems are nothing but phony’s and should be ousted if they continue thier obstruction and thievery.
The right is using fear to oppose reform. The left needs to do the same. Remind the middle class what happens if they loose their job and have no coverage or have to pay large premiums to keep it. Remind them of all the cases where the insurance company found a way to deny someone’s claim. Remind them what a policy cost in 2000 and what it costs now. Yes, most people are “happy” with their current coverage, but they need to be afraid of what might well happen in the future. Get that message across and reform will be a done deal. Let the right continue to raise peoples’ fear of government run insurance and big deficits without countering it with the legitimate worry about having no coverage and reform will fail.
“Special interests” is kind of a meaningless phrase, and doesn’t have as negative a connotation as “lobbyists.” Other than that, the spot sounds good, and I completely support the targeting of “Democrats” who oppose the overwhelming demand for a health care plan with a strong public option.
Healthcare reform is an issue worthy of storming Congress with a good ole fashion demonstration when they return from 30 days of vacation. Maybe if they hear and see the people who are outraged over their lack of crafting worthy healthcare reform with a public option, they will understand just how serious we are. Those who support healthcare reform with a public option have heretofore been unable to break through the fog of insurance companies blitz kreig.
Good work MoveON. Let’s keep the donations coming. We have to win this one. It is time to fight the false information being promoted by the health care lobby. NOW IS THE TIME.
Finally! It is about time for the Left to play like they want to win and stop being complete punks. I became disenchanted with MoveOn when they lost their teeth. I will give to them again. I stopped giving to the DNC last election cycle. They are not accountable to Democrats and should in no way fund ANY campaign of centrists.
Thanks MoveOn, “Blue Dogs” are no better than the lobbyist they cater to.
Look- the insurance companies are the problem – they have been raping the common man for decades – profits on the pain and suffering of people.
Another problem is the racism/fanaticism on the other side. These people hate so much that rather than side with HC reform and Obama they will side with the GOP/insurance industry and throw their friends and relatives and themselves under the HC bus.
And yes I did contribute to MoveON for this.
actually, I thought the ad was kind of weak. can’t we afford more than a 15-second spot?
Its about time we put fire under the BlueCross Democrats!
I gave money to MoveOn to elect a great president and enough lawmakers to pass real reform. Now I am giving money again to support the president and kick BlueCross lawmakers who would rob us of a chance to fix healthcare in the USA.
These BlueDogs get me so mad! Go MoveOn!
THIS is why I continue to support MoveOn!!!! They are willing to get down and dirty, but in a much classier way than the crazy Republicans!!!!!
Just contributed to MoveOn. I have got to find a way to fight back against the Rethugs, Bluethugs, and the Insurance companythugs.
And while you’re at it Move On put the screws to Harry Spineless Reid.
We need someone who is going to demand loyalty to the party in important legislative battles like this one.
Isn’t there anyone out there to challenge his leadership? Come on Durbin, Harkin and Klobuchar.
I just L-O-V-E! Do it! Have had it! Let’s “get this party started!”
MoveOn was a little leery of going after Democrats, but they polled their membership on whether or not to fight Conservadems and back more progressive candidates and the response was (if I recall correctly) in the high-60%s. MoveOn was probably surprised by that, but people are fed up with Democrats they can’t tell from the Republicans. That was when I resumed my monthly contributions to MoveOn. (I’d been making them throughout the 2008 campaign.) I also let the DNC know back in mid-2008 that they weren’t going to get one dollar from me as long as they backed these pseudoRepublicans. I only contribute directly to the candidates I support and to progressive organizations that run good grassroots campaigns of their own, a la MoveOn. If we all contribute what we can (money, phone-banking, chewing on people’s ears), any fight is winnable. The Obama campaign certainly showed that to be true!
MoveOn….you rock ! Go get them. I am also going to donate to your org. I followed u through the campaign and you are the best……take out the Blue Dogs ! They might as well be part of the Rethug party
I wish the president himself had the balls to go after these opportunists that betray working Americans to ingratiate themselves with healthcare magnates. He should tell them “It’s your choice, but if you stab us in the back on this I will personally make sure that your political career is finished”.
I will definitely be contributing to moveon now. These bluedogs and ‘centrist’ dem senators must either move to the left or be defeated. Better to have a repub that admits his true allegiance than a repub that masquerades as a dem and then brings discredit and defeat to the party when it most matters.
Here’s the website listing members of the blue mutts…
http://www.house.gov/melancon/BlueDogs/Member%20Page.html
Here’s a great website that finds out info about people in Government…Just type in their name and up pops all kinds of useful info…It also tells you how to contact them.
http://www.votesmart.org/index.htm
If everyone would find the blue mutt in their state and start blowing up their phones, maybe we’d get something done…
Good, excellent news. Just having democrats in congress isn’t enough. They have to be good democrats. Next step is to primary them.
Excellant!
Let these two faced bums know that they will be fired very soon, and lose more than their Health care benfits!
Awesome!!! I live in Canada with free health care and a strong sense of security. No foreclosure signs here because we don’t have worry about medical costs. Democracy was not compromised. It’s the insurance companies who are the threat, not univeral health care. We’re rooting for you and collecting money to donate to MoveOn.
As badly as our health care system needs reform, is this really the best way to go about it? Part of the problem with the Republican party is the excessive push for “ideological purity” over a far saner, more rational coalition that is actually pragmatic enough to consider what works in reality. I’m not certain the left running the same tactics of attacking those within their coalition that aren’t “pure” enough in their views is prudent – look where it’s taken the Republicans.
It’s about time that someone bit these “Blue Dogs in the behind as they deserve! I’ve always hel that they need to be exposed to their constituents so the voters know that these “illigetimate childred” are voting with the groups that buy them and not with their constituents. I, too, will again contribute to MoveOn now that they have stopped being whimps – like the DNC!
It’s about time that someone bit these “Blue Dogs in the behind as they deserve! I’ve always held that they need to be exposed to their constituents so the voters know that these “illigetimate childred” are voting with the groups that buy them and not with their constituents. I, too, will again contribute to MoveOn now that they have stopped being whimps – like the DNC!
The article hints the ads will be tough but the script merely states the facts. They could be a lot tougher. I hope these takers of bribes know what they are in for. When MoveOn calls, people send money, and people really care about this issue.
amazing that an organization who constantly and predictably runs disinformation to the public would seek to demonize elected officials who are trying to do due diligence for their constituents. threats and arrogance. no wonder moveon.org is a laughing stock. just because they preach it don’t make it so. if there was ever a need for the fairness doctrine, they are it.
Don’t let Republicans off the hook. They need to get blamed too! Too many media articles are letting the Republicans get away with opposing reform but then blaming the Blue Dogs for all the failure! The ads should state that these 8 Republicans oppose and this 1 Democrat opposes.
These politicians voted Against the Nathan Deal Amendment, that would Prevent Health Care Benefits to Illegal Aliens. Simply put–it’s not their BLOODY MONEY! So what! Do they care if taxpayers have to foot the behemoth bill, for anybody who snubs our laws and enters a sovereign country called America? The nationwide parasites are –CHEAP LABOR–businesses who could care less, because they pile up enormous profits. The corporate hierarchy have been having a field day–FOR DECADES. A foreign national gets hurt, their service manager or whoever the underling is, drives the maimed person and relinquishes any responsibility by dumping them on the emergency hospital entranceway. BINGO! nothing to pay!
Perhaps Americans should find some old shoddy clothes, no shave, no haircut and enter every emergency room in our country in the millions? Speak a lot of gibberish and carry no identification with a small splinter in their finger, a touch of a fever or any minor condition. By federal law the hospital will have an emergency on a–EMERGENCY. I am afraid Americans have been Lemmings going over a proverbial cliff, since who knows when? We just keep paying and paying even more to the IRS, to support–ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS. Try getting free health care in any other country, other than societies in the European Union? A FAT CHANCE! We are literary being taxed to death, to give welfare to the business overlords. These legislators have already tried to weaken E-Verify, local police action 287(g) and now unwinding the 1986 Simpson/Mazzoli enforcement law–which worked, but again was never enforced.
Even our Democrats who are trying to engineer health care for every American—INCLUDED 20 PLUS ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS AND THEIR LARGE FAMILIES. Here are 29 Judas Iscariot’s, who sold the American people out–for a lot more than 13 pieces of silver? HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS OF DOLLARS EVERY YEAR. Capps (D-CA), Eshoo (D-CA), Harman (D-CA), Matsui (D-CA), McNerney (D-CA), Waxman (D-CA), DeGette (D-CO), Murphy (D-CT), Castor (D-FL), Rush (D-IL), Schakowsky (D-IL), Braley (D-IA), Sarbanes (D-MD), Markey (D-MA), Dingell (D-MI), Stupak (D-MI), Pallone (D-NJ), Weiner (D-NY), Butterfield (D-NC), Space (D-OH), Sutton (D-OH), Doyle (D-PA), Gordon (D-TN), Gonzalez (D-TX), Green (D-TX),Welch (D-VT), Christensen (D-VI), Inslee (D-WA) and Baldwin (D-WI). I’m afraid I would be banned if I used the right epithet, when leaving a comment for these so called lawmakers?
These are the betrayers of–ALL–taxpayers. These 29 traitors gave illegal immigrants the right to pilfer your billfold and purse, while they sit in their Washington office collecting their 6 figure salaries. REMEMBER THEM AND THROW THEM OUT! DEMAND NO AMNESTY! NO FAMILY UNIFICATION KNOWN AS CHAIN MIGRATION! BUILD THE ORIGINAL FENCE! NO MORE HEALTH CARE OR ANY OTHER KIND OF BENEFITS FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS. CLOSE THE BORDER AND STATION THE NATIONAL GUARD. $2.5 TRILLION DOLLARS, JUST IN RETIREMENT BENEFITS? Learn uncorrupted facts at NUMBERSUSA. For myself and family! I am for any health care re-organization, as long as it doesn’t smell of copious profiteering and corruption, like the majority of private insurers do?
Copy, Paste and Distribute freely
I agree with everyone who loves the idea of the ads, but who thinks they need to be stronger. Perhaps the ad needs to include the amount of money Senator XXXX has gotten from health care and pharma to protect the industry, and sacrifice the people of xxxxx state to earn that money.
I, too, have given freely to Move-On to help get Obama and Franken elected. Money is scarce during the summer for this teacher, but I’ll dig deep to help get THIS message out.
One of the writers has a very good point. Obama strategists need to portray the health care issue as DAVID AND GOLIATH. Unfortunately the ignorant Americans, are easily manipulated by GOP amoeba-brained one liners. The only way to reach the American mass is to paint an easy and repetative mental picture as Cheney/Bush did, “the terrorist” are coming, your neighbor could be one!
The media blitz must picture DAVID and GOLIATH, everyone knows the story…with the GOLIATH weapon lobby/GOPS. For some reason, Obama also forgot about the young people who moved their parent to vote and his advisors dropped the ball on the power of the youth movement.
If the plan is SO brilliant, and SO important to the success of our nation, then I will get on board….the day Congress and the President also participate in the plan. The day my Congressman is also covered by the same health plan he swears up and down is in my best interest, I will accept it.